Distant, ancient galaxies are giving scientists further hints that a mysterious force called dark energy may not be what they thought.
Astronomers know that the universe is expanding — and not just expanding, but doing so at a faster and faster rate. For decades, they’ve puzzled over what could possibly be speeding everything up. Their mathematical model describing how the universe behaves could explain it well if there were a powerful, constant force at play — but they didn’t know the nature of this force or where it came from, so they called it dark energy. AP
On this 19th day of December 2025, writer & comedian Tara Devlin is presenting her commentaries.
Tarabuster Tuesdays – Republicans are The Best at Being the Worst
The Department of Justice on Friday released some of the records related to its investigations on Jeffrey Epstein. The convicted sex offender and wealthy financier is known for his connections to some of the world’s most powerful people, including President Donald Trump, who long sought to keep the files sealed.
The release seemed to be a thin slice of the total documents the Department of Justice is expected to have. DOJ authorities acknowledged in a letter to Congress obtained by The Associated Press that the complete files were not released and the government expects more disclosures by the end of the year.
Seven wild Asiatic elephants were killed and a calf was injured when a high-speed passenger train collided with a herd crossing the tracks in India’s northeastern state of Assam early Saturday, local authorities said.
The train driver spotted the herd of about 100 elephants and used the emergency brakes, but the train still hit some of the animals, according to an Indian Railways spokesman. Five train coaches and the engine derailed following the impact, but there were no human casualties.
Veterinarians carried out autopsies on the dead elephants, which were to be buried later in the day.
The accident site is a forested area around 125 kilometers (78 miles) southeast of Assam’s capital city of Guwahati. Railway tracks in the state are frequented by elephants, but Indian Railways said in a statement the accident location wasn’t a designated elephant corridor. The Associated Press
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After Sri Lanka struggled through one of the worst storms in its history, new reports describe tea plantation workers taking temporary refuge in government schools and temples as entire villages were buried in mud in the central highlands.
In November, tea worker Kumaran Elumugam was out working and had taken one of his daughters with him but lost all six remaining members of his family who were in their small home as heavy rocks borne by a landslide swept down and crushed it with all of them still inside.
Sadie’s Love & the Universe

More Than 20,000 Still Without Power After Massive San Francisco Blackout
(Los Angeles Times) Roughly 110,000 PG&E customers have service again

Jordan Says its Air Force Joined US Strikes on Islamic State in Syria
Damascus, Syria (AP) — Jordan confirmed Saturday that its air force

Zelensky Rejects Putin’s Demand for Elections to be Held in Ukraine
Kiev (dpa) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has responded

US Envoy Witkoff Says Progress Made in First Phase of Gaza Peace Plan
Washington (dpa) — Progress is being made in implementing the Gaza

Two Killed in Israeli Operations in the West Bank
Tel Aviv (dpa) — Two Palestinians were killed during Israeli army

Lawmakers Weigh Impeachment Articles for Bondi Over Epstein File Omissions
(Los Angeles Times) — Lawmakers unhappy with Justice Department

Trump’s Economy Collides With Reality in a Pennsylvania City Critical to the Midterms
“It’s worse than ever,” the 67-year-old retiree, who relies on Social Security,

US Forces Stop a Second Merchant Vessel Off the Coast of Venezuela, American Officials Say
Washington (AP) — U.S. forces on Saturday stopped a second

Russian Strike on Odesa Kills 8 as US Hosts a Kremlin Envoy for Talks on Peace Plan
Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa

Germany’s Hydrogen Pipeline Network Progressing ‘as Planned’
Berlin (dpa) — Construction of an interregional hydrogen pipeline

Putin Says There Are 700,000 Soldiers in Ukraine War Zone
Moscow (dpa) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday

UN Mission Says No Evidence Hezbollah Rearming in Southern Lebanon
Beirut (dpa) — The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
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